SERVIR-Himalaya co-hosts 2016 NASA Space Apps Challenge event in Kathmandu

The International Space Apps Challenge hackathon was held in Kathmandu, Nepal, 23 to 24 April 2016. The event was organized by the SERVIR-Hindu Kush Himalaya program and the Renewable Energy for Rural Livelihood (RERL) programme of the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) in collaboration with YoungInnovations. SERVIR-Hindu Kush Himalaya is hosted by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). This year the hackathon was held in more than 160 locations around the world. The event brought together young and creative minds to find innovative solutions to global challenges.

The International Space Apps Challenge -- an international mass collaboration focused on space exploration -- takes place over 48 hours in cities around the world. The event embraces collaborative problem solving with the goal of producing relevant open-source solutions to address global needs applicable to both life on Earth and life in space. This year there were over 28 challenges in six areas: Technology, Aeronautics, Space Station, Solar System, Earth, and Journey to Mars. NASA is leading this global collaboration along with a number of government collaborators and around 200 local organizing teams across the globe. In addition to the global challenges, RERL/AEPC and ICIMOD provided six local challenges focusing on finding innovative ways to improve the energy sector and disaster prevention in Nepal.